The Guidance Prayer (Salat al-Istikhara)
If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two rakatain voluntarily (ie not as fardh). Then he should say:
O Allah, I ask You to show me what is best, through your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous favour, for You have power, while I am without power, and you have knowledge while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who knows all things invisible.
O Allah, if You know that this undertaking is in the best interests of my religion, my life in this world and my life in the hereafter and can yield successful results in both the short term and the long term, then make it possible for me and make it easy for me and then bless me in it.
If not, then turn it away from me, and make it easy for me to do well, wherever I may happen to be, and make me content with Your verdict, O Merciful of the merciful.
I love this dua.
September 2nd, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Yes it’s so beautiful. Jazaki Allahu khair for the reminder.
September 2nd, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Um Ibrahim – I have been trying to leave comments on your website. Not sure why but I keep having problems. I wonder if it’s because I’m using firefox? Has anyone else had problems commenting?
September 7th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Thank sis for reminding us this dua. I am going to save this one cos I have cousins & friends asking me about this prayers.
September 8th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
…after saying the above dua, then he should mention a name, his difficulty and his need.
Sis I have an audio file regards to the Istikharah prayers. If you wish, I can send it to you. It is only for 8 mins. The dua is in arabic and english.
September 10th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Asalaamu alaikum,
Sure, that would be great sis Camilla. Can you just send it to my email?
tasmiyablog(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks!
September 20th, 2006 at 12:24 am
Salamu-alaykum sister Camilla and Tasmiya.
Could you please tel me how to perform/to pray salat al-istikhara? I know is (2rak’atain) and I know how to read the dua but I don’t know how to start the rak’atain. I’m getting marreid but wanna do the istikhara prayer so I can know if he is the right one or not.. please let me know, send it to my e-mail wich is (beauty_007@hotmail.co.uk)
November 21st, 2006 at 3:43 am
Could you please tel me how to perform/to pray salat al-istikhara? I know is (2rak’atain) and I know how to read the dua but I don’t know how to start the rak’atain. I’m getting marreid but wanna do the istikhara prayer so I can know if he is the right one or not.. please let me know, send it to my e-mail wich is samarox15@yahoo.com OR silent_sea4eva@hotmail.com
November 26th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
is thr any specific surah that needs to be recited to perform the 2 rakats of Al-Istikhara?
November 26th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Asalaamu alaikum and welcome!
sama: You start the rakatain just with the intention to perform Salat-al istikhara. I don’t think there is anything more than that.
femi salau-deen: No specific surah as far as I am aware
May 11th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Assalamalikum, i dont know if you will find this comment so insha’allah i will try to email you too.. but i was wondering if you still have that audio of the istikharah duaa??? could you please pass it onto me?? JazakAllah khair
June 19th, 2007 at 6:06 am
As-salaamu Alaikum,
Sister Camilla if you still have the Istikhara on an audio file please could you send it to me also?
Jazakallah Khair.
August 10th, 2007 at 4:32 am
Assalamoalikum,
I’ve a question regarding Salat al-Istikhara:
Do we have to say dua-e-istikhara only in Arabic? I mean it’s difficult for a non-native person like me to replace “this matter” in the dua.
August 21st, 2007 at 6:54 am
Assalaamou ‘alaikoum
My blog has a whole section on Salat ul Istikhara in English, Arabic, French, German and Spanish, including a video with the dua for Istikhara being recited in Arabic. Here is the link:
http://makkah.wordpress.com/2006/12/25/before-any-major-decision-pray-salat-ul-istikhara/
Copy the above link into your browser and press the “enter” key and you will see it Insha Allah. You can also download a short pamphlet entitled “How to pray Salat ul Istikhara”.
Shukran.
August 21st, 2007 at 7:33 am
As-salaamu Alaikum,
can u please please please write to me, how to pray the salat al-istekhara step by step.
for instance how to neyat etc.
i’m at the middle of a very bad situation.
i would really apreciate it.
allahhafiz
August 21st, 2007 at 7:33 am
this is my email: nazy_afg05@yahoo.com
August 21st, 2007 at 9:39 am
Walaikum asalaam Rafik,
Jazakallah khair for that. I will point others in your direction inshaAllah.
September 6th, 2007 at 3:49 am
can some one help me i like to llearn al-istekhara if any ond can sent it to me
October 5th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
thanku jazaki Alluha alf khair
November 8th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
I have problems and i know all mighty Allah ll help me in leading the path
May 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
can some please help me the right way to pray, the right. i would love to hear in audio. thank u and god bless us all.
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:15 am
As-salaamu Alaikum,
Sister Camilla if you still have the Istikhara on an audio file please could you also send it to me?
My email is scrummycustard@hotmail.com
Jazakallah Khair.
August 31st, 2008 at 6:42 am
As-salaamu Alaikum Sister Tasmiya
Could You please send me the Istikhara audio for this surah, the one camilla sent. If not, Sister Camilla Could you send it.
Thank you to both of you
god bless us all
divastar2_39@hotmail.com
October 27th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Asalam o alykom wa rahmato Allah wa barakat
All brothers and sisters jazak Allah so see your all beautiful comments may Allah (SWT) bless all of us (all muslims) and may Allah guide us in the right path all muslims and non-muslims Ameen!
And thanks alot to remind us this nice dua
Asalam alykom….
February 15th, 2009 at 10:45 am
thank you very much for this du’a.
it is very helpful.
may peace be upon all of you…
August 1st, 2010 at 1:16 am
Salaam,
Is it possible for someone to tell me how exactly to perform salat al istikhara.
My confusion is, what exactly you say in neeyah? then when exactly do you say the istikhara dua, is it when you are about to finish the prayer before doing the 2nd salaam, or do you say this dua after the second and final salaam?
August 29th, 2010 at 3:57 am
asalaam!
i am in love with a guy.. but coz of some reason we parted.. i still need him.. so by offering salat-i-istikhara can i get the inclination wheter i should expect him to come back or to move on with my life…
plz lemme knw on my e-mail which is – iramsiddiqui92@yahoo.com
August 29th, 2010 at 3:59 am
asalaam!
i am in love with a guy.. but coz of some reason we parted.. i still lyk him and wants him back in my life.. so by offering salat-i-istikhara can i get the inclination wheter i should expect him to come back or to move on with my life…
plz lemme knw on my e-mail which is – iramsiddiqui92@yahoo.com
January 9th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
dear sirs i need a dua i can read all the time for good health and fortune